1. CHAPTER 13, SECTION 1 The Drive for Reform

2. Origins of Progressivism The Progressive movement started in the 1890s to combat the decline of society and the growing social problems. These social problems included politics/government, business, social welfare, and labor conditions. They were similar to the Populist Party of the 1800s, but unlike Populists (who were mainly farmers), Progressives mainly came from the middle class.

3. Muckrakers Reveal the Need for Reform Socially conscious journalists dramatized the need for reform in their novels to encourage others in society to back reform.  They were called muckrakers, because they raked the ‘muck’ of society, i.e. the social problems, much as a muckrake would clean horse stalls. There were many muckrakers in all areas of the literary world.  Lincoln Steffens wrote for McClure magazine and in 1903, wrote The Shame of the Cities.  These articles focused on political corruption, specifically in Philadelphia.

4. Muckrakers Reveal the Need for Reform  Jacob Riis, a photographer for the New York Evening Sun, focused on the horrible housing conditions of the urban poor.  His most influential work was How the Other Half Lives.  In The History of Standard Oil, Ida Tarbell went after John D. Rockefeller. She exposed his ruthless tactics to push out the competition.  Perhaps the most famous muckraker was Upton Sinclair. In his 1906 novel, The Jungle, Sinclair wrote about the horrid conditions of a Chicago meat-packing plant.

5. Progressives Reform Society Many Progressives believed that Christianity should be the basis of reform.  This belief was known as the Social Gospel. It was believed through charity and justice, reformers could remake society into “the kingdom of God”. Jane Addams focused her reform efforts on urban living conditions.  She pioneered the settlement house movement in the U.S. These ‘houses’ were more like community centers that provided services for the urban poor– such as childcare and English lessons.  The most well-known settlement house was the Hull House.

6. Progressives Reform Society In terms of education, reformers such as Florence Kelley first had to start with ending child labor.  In addition to ending child labor, reformers encouraged state governments to impose mandatory education to a certain age.  This fueled a debate about what and how students should learn. In 1911, a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory demonstrated a need for industrial reform.  After 146 people died when a fire ran through the factory, states were encouraged to enact workers’ compensation laws, safer workplace conditions, and a 10-hour workday limit.

8. Reforming Government Many Progressives believed that by reforming government, society would reform itself. These reforms started at the city level.  Instead of having just a mayor, many cities adopted a commission form of government– known as the Galveston Plan. The election process of city officials also needed to be reformed.  Four new forms of election regulation came to pass during the Progressive Era– the direct primary, the initiative, the referendum and recall.

9. Reforming Government  Direct primary  election in which citizens choose their nominees for office.  Initiative  allows citizens to propose new laws on a ballot by collecting signatures.  Referendum  allows citizens to reject laws passed by the legislature.  Recall  ability to remove a public official before their term ended. New, ‘progressive’ governors swept across the nation. These included:  Robert La Follette (WI); Hiram Johnson (CA); Theodore Roosevelt (NY); Woodrow Wilson (NJ).

10. Women and Minorities Make Progress

11. Progressive Women Expand Reforms  Women achieved their goals through greater access to education during the early 1900s.  Women who worked outside of the home faced many difficulties including low wages, long hours and dangerous conditions.  They were also supposed to hand their wages over to their husbands, fathers or brothers.  Florence Kelley founded the Women’s Trade Union League which advocated for a minimum wage, 8-hour workday, and started a strike fund.

12. Working for Changes in Family Life Improving family life was the main goal of progressive women. Specifically, women focused on the temperance (abstaining from alcohol) movement, fueled by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.  This helped lead to the passage of the 18 th amendment. Margaret Sanger opened the nation’s first birth-control clinic, leading eventually to the ability for women to gain information from their doctors about family planning.

13. Winning the Right to Vote The main goal of Progressive Era women was to gain suffrage– the right to vote.  Women lobbied Congress to pass an amendment (19 th );  Used the referendum process to pass state suffrage laws;  Recruited wealthy, well-educated women to fight for their cause;  Held protest marches and hunger strikes.

14. Women and their Goals Many prominent women emerged to lead during the movement, focusing on specific goals.  Carrie Chapman Catt  encouraged people to join the National American Woman Suffrage Association, which focused on working to achieve legal gains.  Alice Paul  encouraged public protest marches  Ida B. Wells  National Association of Colored Women focusing on family assistance.

15. The Struggle Against Discrimination

16. Progressivism Presents Contradictions While making overall social gains, many Progressives were prejudiced against those who were non-white, non- Protestant, and non-middle class. They worked towards Americanization of immigrants. Some Progressives agreed with southern legislation that segregated African Americans, while others supported African American growth.

17. African Americans Demand Reform W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington were split on how African Americans should achieve change. Du Bois went on to start the Niagara Movement, which later grew into the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.  Both groups focused on organization to promote change.

18. Reducing Prejudice and Protecting Rights Other minority groups (mainly immigrants) also sought greater rights during the Progressive Era. Jews, Mexican-Americans, Native Americans and Asian- Americans formed self-help agencies and social justice organizations to work for change.  In some cases, these minority groups took their grievances to court.